Category: Friends

Posted in Choco-chan, Experience, Feelings, Food, Friends, Hotel, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Nature, Place, Travel

Short Trip to Unohama Onsen, Niigata

Posted on by sonokotchi

I didn’t have a proper weekend for for rest for months so I took Monday and Tuesday off.

I also needed time to clean dirty dishes and clear garbage from gathering.

It was before noon, Choco and I packed up and left house.

It’s his first stay over.

We stopped every two hours for Choco’s toilet; nonetheless, it’s good to take a break for a driver as well.

We took a quick bite for lunch at the parking area.

It was a nice clear day.

I expected to see Autumn leaves changing in colours.

We drove to mountainous area and the scenery became more scenic.

There is snow….

Kanetsu Tunnel

Enjoying looking at the rice field after harvest.

We stopped at the Parking Area for toilet break.

There is some snow and I wanted Choco to experience his first snow.

I thought he would enjoy it but he didn’t; he angrily asked me to pick him up.

We continued driving country side.

We finally arrived Unohama Onsen (Unohama Hot Spring) Wan Yado, Niigata.

Our room is typical traditional Japanese style Tatami room.

Choco looked happy.

The inn had a problem with boiler so we couldn’t use shower.

Therefore, we went to the inn across the street – Mikaku – to use their bath.

There is a bath inside

And outside (this style is called Goemon Buro, bath tub is in the shape of bowl).

The beauty part of our inn is there is a room for Choco.

Incan freely take and use basic necessities for Choco such as treats, food bowls, toilet sheets, etc.

I can ask to look after Choco as well (charged service).

We had a private room for our dinner.

Choco could join us and he had his plate as well.

We ordered crab menu; there are various way of cooking crabs.

Boiled

Nabe (Pot Dish)

Osashimi no Funamori (raw fish on boat)

Grilled

Other fish dish and Chawanmushi (steam egg)

Tenpura

Rice and Soup

Oops I forgot to take a photo of dessert Matcha (Green Tea) Pudding.

We are all tired so we went to bed early.

Next morning, we started with a morning bath by visiting Mikaku.

I didn’t notice a manager was quietly sitting at reception.

So cute!

I got ready and went down for breakfast.

We cook fish on our own plate.

It’s a long way back home, about 4 hours to return Tokyo.

We left the place after our breakfast.

People visit Onahama for beach.

It’s Autumn/Winter; therefore beach is quiet.

We took a different road back to Tokyo.

We admired different mountains such as Myoko.

Choco looked excited during the trip; however, once we reached home…. he suddenly looks exhausted.

I hope Choco enjoyed his first stay over.

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Hotel, Japan Technology, Japanese Food, Nature, Place, Restaurants, Tokyo, Travel, Work

Business Trip to Toyama

Posted on by sonokotchi

I was in Toyama from 30 October – 3 November 2019 for business trip.

Originally, we plan to go to Toyama by Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) but it was suspended because the railway was damaged by Typhoon 19.

I had a confidence that a Japanese railway company, JR Nishi Nihon (JR West Japan) will do their best to recover the line; in fact, it started its operation on 25 October 2019, meaning JR Nishi Nihon recovered Hokuriku Shinkansen in two weeks.

However, I was worried that it might take longer to recover to affect our business trip; therefore, we flew.

We safely arrived Toyama Airport.

There are four flights in a day between Tokyo/Haneda and Toyama.

It’s either two flights in early morning or 2 flights in late evening for convenience of business people.

Therefore, we arrived Toyama early on 30 October 2019.

We couldn’t check in so we dropped our luggage at hotel and walked to Toyama Station.

We took a taxi to visit Toyama Castle before going to exhibition hall, Toyama Techno Hall, for preparation for our participation in T-Messe 2019.

We climbed to Castle Tower.

There is a nice garden.

We had to make a move; we returned to Toyama Station area for lunch.

We had our lunch at Shirohacha.

Then went to exhibition hall, Toyama Techno Hall.

There is a vending machine for ice cream so we decided to take a break; I had a salty caramel.

We finished booth set up and returned to city centre to check in at hotel: Comfort Hotel Toyama Ekimae.

We went out for dinner at Chohachi.

I really enjoyed local specialty: Shiroebi (Japanese glass shrimp).

This Shiroebi no Oshizushi (Japanese glass shrimp pressed sushi) was awesome!

Work hard during day time and enjoyed nice dinner at night.

Yagura Zushi

Kappo Ogawa

I also had crab at Sakanaya Dojo Toyama Ekimae Store.

Honestly, a casual dining place like Izakaya in Toyama serves very fresh, delicious seafood and very reasonable!

On last night, I had two dinners with different people.

After eating a quick dinner at Sakanaya Dojo Toyama Ekimae Store, I went to a train sushi restaurant.

I already had a nice seafood at Sakanaya Dojo so I thought I’m gonna have few sushi to accompany them.

But big NO.

After queuing for some time, we managed to get a table at Mawaru Toyamawan Sushitama Toyama Eki Store.

It was also awesome!

I enjoyed fresh seafood very much in Toyama.

I also enjoyed watching cute Murata Seisakusho (Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd) cheer leader’s cheering while working.

Murata Seisakusho is Japanese leading machinery and parts company.

By the time leaving Toyama, I start liking Toyama.

Now I want to go back to Toyama for seafood, Onsen (hot spring) and nice sceneries.

I started missing Toyama and feeling melancholic but soon I get excited finding Star Wars wrapped aircraft at Haneda Airport!

The END

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Movie, Place, Restaurants, Tokyo

Terminator: Dark Fate

Posted on by sonokotchi

I had a sausage dog, French fries and apple cinnamon lemonade at Susan’s Meat Ball, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya for dinner before watching the movie.

I was so excited to watch it by IMAX at Toho Hibiya.

You can watch this episode without watching others because this episode is based on different future.

This is a must!

I needed to have a drink to calm me down after watching the movie at Food and Tapas Celona, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.

I’m so happy now.

Posted in Choco-chan, Cooking, Feelings, Food, Friends, Health, Mt. Fuji, Restaurants, Shopping, Tokyo

Saturday Quest

Posted on by sonokotchi

I woke up at 6 am.

Poor Choco, he couldn’t have his morning walk because I had a list of quests for organizing a birthday for my friend today.

– Clean

– Decorate rooms for Halloween

– Cook lunch

It was a challenging day because I had a dentist appointment at 9:30 am in Roppongi so I had few hours to complete the above.

Furthermore, I also had chiropractics/massage appointment at 11:30 am – 12:50 pm in Ebisu.

My friends are scheduled to arrive at 1:30 pm.

Between dentist and chiropractic/massage appointment, I had 45 mins gap.

I decided to have a break at Starbucks by using a complementary ticket which I received it when I purchase a tumbler.

I had a Halloween Red Night Frappuccino.

This time, I learned that it’s difficult to enjoy Frappuccino by this thin tumbler.

I struggle to mix the flavors and to get white chocolate brownies. hahaha

After I finish my chiropractics/massage, I quickly returned home to receive friends at 1:30 pm.

I prep lunch so that I can cook to serve warm food when I receive them.

We sang birthday song and enjoyed a cake from Ogawaken Shimbashi • Meguro.

It was a lovely day.

I took Choco for a long walk in the evening.

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Health, Japanese Food, Restaurants, Tokyo

Dinner at Tsukiji no Sakanaya, Ginza

Posted on by sonokotchi

Last night, we went out for a dinner after the meeting.

We didn’t have any restaurant in particular so we started walking to a busy street.

On the way, he spotted a restaurant.

I couldn’t imagine how the restaurant is because the restaurant is located in the basement so I could not see from the street.

When I entered, I was surprised.

It was still early, before 6, but the restaurant was already occupied.

The restaurant name is Tsukiji no Sakanaya meaning Tsukiji Fish Shop.

The restaurant is operated by a seafood wholesale company that even supplies to department stores.

All dishes are so nice, not only seafood but also vegetables.

I didn’t take any photos of food because it was my first time dining with them; however, I can assure that food is nice.

I even enjoyed talking to them.

Both of them are so cheerful.

One shared he had a surgery by Davinci (Hi-Tech operation machine) recently.

He gets after affect, but he is willing to cope with it by making it as a joke.

Another, he also had a surgery in the past.

Both of them laugh about it and live with it.

I witnessed the effectiveness of laughing.

They continued the life is once. We will live. If we are going to live, better have fun.

Wow they were like two characters from the Bucket List that I just watched on Sunday.

I’m glad I joined a dinner.

I together laughed with them.

Posted in Beauty, Feelings, Friends, Health

Mindfulness

Posted on by sonokotchi

Recently, I was recommended to practice mindfulness.

I have been knowing about this but I was not interested to learn about it.

Today, yes, I do feel weak and I’m interested in mindfulness.

In a way, I consider writing the blog is my way of mindfulness.

Originally, I started to blog to improve my English writing skill and to find one thing that makes me happy,, inspiring, thinking, etc. in a day.

This is the moment to think back of my day.

I usually love to watch an action movies.

Today, I watched “the Bucket List”.

I have more years to live (hopefully)…. however, I don’t need to wait till last moment to try things.

Perhaps, I can list down my bucket list.

These can be simple things such as laugh hard till I cry like mentioned in a movie.